The BYD Flyer is a five-door city car originally developed by the government-owned Xian Qinchuan Automobile and sold from 2001 to 2005. BYD produced it in Shenzhen from 2005 to 2008, and it was the company’s first car.
BYD Flyer at a glance
| Also known as | Qinchuan Flyer, Flyer Fuxing |
|---|---|
| Production | 2001–2005 (Qinchuan), 2005–2008 (BYD) |
| Builder (original) | Qinchuan Machinery Works (Norinco), Xi’an |
| Class | five-door city car |
| Platform | Suzuki Alto (QCJ7081) |
| Engines | 0.8–1.1 litre three- and four-cylinder, Suzuki-derived |
| Power | 29.5–38.5 kW (40–52 PS) |
| Facelift | October 2003; Flyer II in March 2005 |
| Exports | Russia and Ukraine |
| Replaced by | BYD F0 in 2008 |
The article is based on the English Wikipedia page on the BYD Flyer.
History of the BYD Flyer
The Flyer was originally built by Qinchuan Machinery Works, part of Norinco and the People’s Liberation Army in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, as their first original car since the Beifang QJC7050 mini car. Qinchuan had been making a version of the Suzuki Alto as the Xianalto QCJ7080 since 1992, so it used the Alto platform, also used for the Maruti 800 and various other Chinese makes, for the QCJ7081 Flyer, sold under the Qinchuan marque from 2001.
After BYD bought Qinchuan Auto, the car was facelifted in October 2003 and became BYD’s first car, though at this point it was sold as the Flyer Fuxing. Having acquired the QCJ7081 platform, BYD wanted to introduce several new models based on it, including an electric taxi called the Flyer EF3, the Flyer Dragon Car and long-wheelbase versions, the luxurious Flyer F2 and the Flyer F4 estate. The cars were shown at motor shows including Beijing and Guangzhou, but none reached production, and BYD carried on building the original model under its own brand.
In 2005 sales of the Flyer I began under the BYD marque. In March 2005 a facelifted version known as the Flyer II went on sale, including exports to Russia and Ukraine; it is identified by a revised design of the headlights and grille. The Flyer was replaced by the more modern BYD F0 in 2008, although new Flyers were still sold until 2010.
The car was powered by a range of small three- and four-cylinder Suzuki-derived engines from 0.8 to 1.1 litres. The smallest, the HH368QA1 of 796 cc, produced 29.5 kW (40 PS); the largest, the LJ465Q-1ANE1 of 1,051 cc, produced 38.5 kW (52 PS).
Design and features
- Alto-derived platform: the same basic structure as the Suzuki Alto and Maruti 800.
- Small Suzuki-based engines: 0.8- to 1.1-litre units from 29.5 to 38.5 kW.
- Two facelifts: a revised car in 2003 and the Flyer II of March 2005.
- Exports: right from the start the Flyer II was sold in Russia and Ukraine.
BYD Flyer versions
- Qinchuan Flyer (2001–2005): the original car sold under the Qinchuan marque.
- Flyer Fuxing (2003): the first BYD-badged facelift of the car.
- BYD Flyer I (2005): the model sold under the BYD brand.
- Flyer II (2005): the facelifted car with revised headlights and grille.
- Unbuilt projects: the EF3 electric taxi, Dragon Car, F2 and F4 estate, shown but never produced.
The Flyer was replaced by the F0, BYD’s first clean-sheet city car, and it came before the compact F3. More cars are in the BYD collection.
Sources
- BYD Flyer, English Wikipedia: history, engines, facelifts
